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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28034445">Promises</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotPitifulChildrenAnymore/pseuds/NotPitifulChildrenAnymore'>NotPitifulChildrenAnymore</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pinkberry One Shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:47:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,785</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28034445</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotPitifulChildrenAnymore/pseuds/NotPitifulChildrenAnymore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A bit of a reflection on Brooke and Chloe's relationship, and how Brooke finally realized she was in love<br/>(not an essay or analysis, just a one shot)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brooke Lohst/Chloe Valentine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pinkberry One Shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay so I wanted to do one more fic before I go on a brief hiatus and I needed some Pinkberry and what better solution than a one- shot? </p><p>Hope you enjoy, and Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If you asked Brooke why she stuck with Chloe for so long, she’d probably shrug and change the topic, not really having questioned it before. </p><p>At least, that’s what the casual observer would assume if they didn’t know Brooke. Popular, hot blonde who was constantly seen at Chloe’s side no matter what is what would come to mind for most people. The truth is, she thought about it. She’d been through far too much with Chloe to not have wondered why exactly she put up with it. Her answers tended to vary based on the few times she’d begun to question it.<br/>
*****<br/>
The first was in sixth grade, Chloe laying across Brooke’s bed and mindlessly flipping through a magazine. She’d looked up from it, her deep blue eyes searching and meeting Brooke’s.</p><p> “Have you heard of Jake Dillinger?” </p><p>Brooke nodded, Chloe had dragged her along to the after school center plenty of times to watch him play and she’d heard his name constantly since school had started.  He was nice enough and cute Brooke guessed. She hadn’t had the heart to tell Chloe that she was pretty sure she saw him sneaking looks at the new kid… Rich she thought his name was.</p><p>“Madeline kept talking about him and asking Katrina about how to get his attention.”</p><p>Chloe wrinkled her nose slightly at this, though whether it was from disdain that Madeline was encroaching on her territory, something Chloe could easily spot even then, or the memory of Katrinas advice to Madeline. Brooke could see it being both (though she’d never say it out loud, even to her sixth grade self some of that advice had sounded outlandish.)</p><p>Brooke had just wanted to enjoy the afternoon with her best friend but clearly that wasn’t going to happen. That was the first time she could feel their dynamic shift, going from something innocent and pure beginning with a chance meeting at a Pinkberry (weird choice for five year olds but Chloe had always been more sophisticated than the others for as long as Brooke could remember and Brooke’s mom had been on a healthier alternative kick and decided that it was an appropriate alternative to ice cream) into something tentative and new. She felt that sort of protective desire to want to stick close to Chloe morph into something new.</p><p>She vaguely wondered years later if Chloe noticed the gleam of hero worship in Brooke’s eyes as Chloe walked over and called Madeline something that she’d only heard in movies or on T.V. She was absolutely fearless in Brooke’s eyes, and best of all? Chloe had chosen her. So she didn’t question it when Chloe came over that night with a makeup kit in hand, ready to begin a transformation that went so far beyond the physical. </p><p>In that case, she’d stuck around to be close to the one person she idolised,  like every young child does.</p><p>                                    *****</p><p>The next time was freshman year, watching Chloe dash through the mall, shoving tops, skirts and shorts into the arms of some guy Brooke honestly couldn’t remember the name of. They’d all stop for Chloe, and Brooke didn’t miss the casual ways Chloe was able to catch their eye that Brooke hadn’t quite caught up with. She knew better than to question it though, so she just went along with it, trying to catch up.</p><p>She pretended not to care about the many late night texts telling Brooke about how Chloe’s night had gone, or reminding her not to wait up. At least she had Christine, who Brooke knew from tagging along to her mom's job at the local theater. Chloe hadn’t had much to say about her, so Brooke figured it was fine. She hadn’t actually questioned it herself until Christine brought it up.</p><p>“Brookie, how many people do you know that Chloe hasn’t introduced to you?”</p><p>Brooke considered. Mostly everyone in her friend group was a friend of Chloe’s first, and she didn’t really have problems with anyone that Chloe hadn’t automatically suggested she ignore. So she shrugged, and Christine nodded as though it solved a question.</p><p>She may not have questioned it too hard, but she had to admit Christine’s question made her think. What did she really stick around with Chloe for?</p><p>In that case, she assumed it was for the feeling she got when Chloe finally wrangled her attention away from whoever she was skipping first period to meet up with and finally gave Brooke the time of day, unidentifiable though it was.</p><p>                                     *****<br/>
By sophomore year, everyone knew their names. Chloe because she was Chloe, and Brooke because you never saw one without the other. Brooke was glad for the renewed closeness of their relationship, even if it meant a front row seat to something she’d rather not have witnessed as Chloe became determined to keep hold of her title.</p><p>That stage of hero worship was long past, and Brooke was glad for it. She saw Chloe for who she was through the front she’d put up- broken, flawed, vulnerable only to Brooke and yet still perfect in Brooke’s eyes for something far different from how their dynamic once was. She saw the many nights of silent tears as the comments rolled in, the innocent laughter as Brooke tried to cheer her up- a real laugh that only Brooke ever got to hear. The way Chloe would carefully shut the door behind her as she left her house with Brooke waiting on the porch, as though determined not to let anyone know what went on inside.</p><p>That summer had brought on its own set of challenges, from Brooke’s first true relationship to Chloe’s first time (Brooke hadn’t been shocked, she’d remembered accidentally stumbling upon what could have become Chloe’s first time in eighth grade had Brooke not interrupted.)</p><p>The stress as Brooke reminded Chloe to take it easy as she went through boys and drinks like they were nothing night after night made Brooke question a lot. Whether or not Chloe had a literal death wish, escaping into hidden places and abandoned campgrounds not to come out for many hours, always emerging slightly buzzed yet looking like nothing had happened. Why Brooke stayed, waiting in her car for hours on end and drawing in her sketchpad as she waited.</p><p>In that case, she had two separate responses depending on who was asking. She’d laugh it off as her boyfriend sent yet another text asking if she was really doing it again, putting it down to what her and Jake jokingly called “the Chloe Valentine factor”, nobody could deny how easily someone could get roped into it. When she asked herself, she’d remind herself of those quiet moments and understand.<br/>
*****</p><p>Junior year their dynamic shifted three times, in very different ways. Having been cheated on by yet another boyfriend over the summer, she let herself be convinced into taking up yoga and meditation. She didn’t see the correlation but Christine insisted that she needed to have an outlet. So she did, and while Chloe had her self defense classes, Brooke had yoga. It was the first time in forever that Brooke had actually done something for herself and she honestly enjoyed it. She took up painting and baking as well, even going so far as to sign up for the school play.</p><p>Brooke had a feeling that if it had been just that, her relationship with Chloe would have remained the same. But from the moment Jeremy addressed her first at the mall, she knew things had changed. Sure, she still stuck by Chloe’s side after Chloe’s break up with Jake, but Chloe had become relentless over guarding her territory once she sensed she could potentially lose it. It became nights of arguments stemming over Jeremy and “Brooke are you looking to get your heart broken again?” that turned into ugly accusations because Brooke saw exactly where it was coming from.</p><p>The morning after Halloween once she’d gotten the full story from Jenna (only rumors, but enough for Brooke to realize what had actually gone down) she’d finally let herself be angry. Words that Brooke knew Chloe had heard before but just seemed to describe her so damn well in Brooke’s eyes at the moment flew as she finally let herself be heard first, finally firm in the idea that there was nothing to hold on for.</p><p>For the first time, she had no response for herself as she asked herself why exactly she forgave her.  Just a gut feeling, one that she refused to let herself explore.</p><p>But the final time that dynamic shifted right after the play, into something it never had before, Brooke could tell this one was permanent, establishing what their relationship would be. Sitting in a chair by a hospital bed waiting to be chased out into her own room left her a lot of time to think. Admittedly she could have done it on her own, but she wanted to be there when Chloe woke up. Something about finding out that Chloe had been jealous of her honestly shook Brooke to her core. Not only that, but that recognition that Chloe would finally understand that Brooke just wanted to be seen and knowing that Chloe actually saw her gave Brooke a feeling she couldn’t identify until she heard small voice calling her name and saw the shy smile playing at Chloe’s lips as Brooke got up and simply wrapped her up in a huge hug (albeit messy considering the wires).</p><p>That was when she knew. She stuck around because she was in love, and that was the only answer she’d need from then on out when it came to Chloe.<br/>
*****</p><p>It was her only response to the rest of the squads teasing after they walked in on the two just cuddling. Partly because she loved being able to say it out loud, and partially because of the blush she’d see gathering at Chloe’s cheeks whenever Brooke said it. It was what they’d both tell themselves when things got tough and it seemed much easier to give up. </p><p>It may have begun with a chance meeting, but it had grown into something Brooke wouldn’t trade for the world. So it was fitting that years later, after waiting for everyone to wipe away tears (turned out Rich was a crier at weddings and Christine had been planning this moment in her mind for years since they’d announced they were a couple so let her have it) that her eternal promise to Chloe was “I will always love you”</p><p>Life may not be consistent, but Brooke was a hundred percent confident it was a promise she could keep.</p><p>She was right.</p>
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